


I've told you now

by KingdomOfIsolation



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Also there's only like one thing barely implying it in this but you should know I wrote this with, First Kiss, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Trans Rhys, in mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-23 22:22:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9682649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingdomOfIsolation/pseuds/KingdomOfIsolation
Summary: Rhys has kissed a few people in his life but he's pretty sure this is the best one, less about the technique however and more about how much and howlonghe's wanted to kiss VaughnIt feels like a relief, like an itch you can’t reach going away or when you wake up & have a drink when your mouth had felt like a desert or-Yeah, he's not the greatest at metaphors





	

"Y-you, you IDIOT" Vaughn says, but there's not a hint of malice in his town as he drags Rhys down by his collar into a bone-crushing hug 

"S'rry" Rhys mumbles into his hair, he feels weak and tired and honestly? He just wants to sleep for like, Forever. 

"If you're going to get into vault hunting business _regularly_ then we'll gonna have to get someone to put a tracker on you" Sasha says to Fiona, She has an arm around her sisters' shoulder, She's smiling but her eyes look wet. 

Rhys looks at his little mismatched family & thinks _'I never want to be apart from them again'_  
He forces them all into a group hug.

////

They're standing in the makeshift kitchen when Vaughn hands him it

"Um," Rhys stares at the blade in his hand, made of sharp stone & a handle that isn't really a handle just the less sharp end of the pointy stone wrapped in cloth 

"What's this for?" 

"Hunting" Vaughn says it so nonchalantly that it's hard to believe this is the same guy Rhys has known most of his life, who used to be squirrely with danger. 

Rhys balks

"Nuh uh, no way I am _not_ going to hunt, What, Rakks?" His face pales.  
"Do you know how hard is trying to get past them alive when you have one arm  & your other side is _bleeding out._ I may as well have had a giant neon sign on me saying EAT ME I'M RIGHT HERE"

Vaughn winces and Rhys knows why  
(He feels guilty, guilty that he hadn't been there, guilty that Rhys had to fix himself all on his own. But that's silly it's not Vaughn's fault, he couldn't have known-)

"Okay; okay. Since you're a guest, I guess I can let you off pulling your weight"

"Uh, am I really a guest when I plan to..." 

"Plan to what?" Vaughn's eyebrows knit in confusion 

Fear grips Rhys' chest, He thought that he was-that he could. 

_'I can't be alone' he thinks to himself 'not again I can't I can't I can't I ca-'_

"Rhys?"

"Sorry," Rhys laughs self deprecatingly "it was just so lonely yannow? I guess I hadn't thought about. Going back."

"Wait. wait, you don't want to go back?" 

Vaughn sounds surprised, why does he sound surprised OF COURSE he doesn't want to go back. Not alone, god he can't-

"You don't have, like, employees?"

"Uh no, just me myself & I"  
he aims for a smile but it drops when he sees Vaughn frown

"I mean...I knew you were alone at the start but the way you were talking...I thought. Rhys, I'm so sorry"

"It's not a big deal. It’ll get there eventually you know for a business I had to rebuild from scratch it's doing okay"

"You want to stay"

Rhys deflates. "Yeah, but uh I can see I don't really fit here I guess and that's fine! Really! You have your thing and I have...mine."

"Rhys dude no, I want you to stay. I just didn't think you wanted to, like, how could you even run a business from here?"

"I'd figure it out" Rhys says quickly "I just," he draws a shaky breath and scrunches his eyes shut,  
"I don't want to be alone; I'm tired of it okay? AND I'm tired of being separated from the people I love, Thank god I was with Fiona or I would have lost my goddamn mind, I missed Sasha, Yvette, Loader bot, Gortys and" he pauses breathing in "You, duh"

"I missed you too" Vaughn does then actually smile. It's small and amazing, _'kinda like Vaughn'_ Rhys muses

"I just got you all back, got _you_ back then...the vault..."

"We didn't really get any time to catch up"

"Guess not" Rhys shrugs 

"You can. Stay, I mean. I'd say I can't imagine being without you but I actually can & I can tell you it, uh, sucks"

Rhys ducks his head; smiles "don't go soft on me Mister bandit king"

"Pfft, Me? Soft? Never"

They both start giggling; Rhys places the blade in his hand on a tall wooden box that's used as a counter

"You uh, you have really come into your own" Rhys places a hand on his shoulder "it's a good look for you” he winks for good measure 

Vaughn raises an eyebrow "you're talking about my abs right?"

"Well, no-I mean I knew about that already, and I kinda meant overall with the hair and beard and your overall confidence" 

"Confidence," Vaughn repeats flatly "Is a good look for me?"

Rhys feels his face heat up 

"Yeah, it's like glaringly obvious how hot you are now. I mean you were always hot but now it's like you can't ignore it hot you know? Um, I'm going to shut up now"

Vaughn blinks slowly, Rhys might be imagining it but he swears Vaughn's cheeks are tinged with pink.

"You think I'm hot? You've _always_ thought I was hot?" 

Shit. "You're twisting my words Bro, I meant like you're objectively hot alright? Anyone could see that"

"I don't think Dave from human resources would agree with that, we could ask him if you want"

"Sure, and he will agree because I am right!"

"Dude if anyone even existed that was considered universally hot, it definitely wouldn’t be me”

"WRONG, dude c'mon I'm surprise you didn't have everyone falling all over you I mean, you're hot and a waaaaay better person than I could hope to be and smart and funny and really really strong like wow and-"

"Dude, stop, _no one thinks that,_ that's just You."

"So what are you trying to say? That I'm, I'm-" _'Kinda in love with you so maybe that makes me a little biased' (but it’s all true, regardless)_

"Lying ‘cause you think that will make you a good friend?"

Rhys splutters.

"How DARE you, I've been having a crisis over my big gay crush on you that's suddenly decided I can't ignore anymore and you think I'm LYING???" 

Rhys clamps his mouth shut

"Rhys"

"You did not hear that, alright, this is just, this is all just a bad dream! I'll wake up and everything will be _fine-_ ”

_"Rhys"_

"-Maybe I do need some more time to myself, a little solitary confinement because apparently I can't keep my brain to mouth filter in check so-"

_"RHYS”_ Vaughn shouts

"Huh?" Rhys shrinks back a little. He's never been exactly afraid of Vaughn before, not really but the fire in his eyes makes him feel more than a little intimidated 

"Exactly how long have you had this Big Gay Crush on me” Vaughn says, complete with finger quotes 

"Uh," Rhys thinks back in his mind trying to place a moment but it's hard. 

His memory is shitty, he remembers being 14 and getting drunk with Vaughn giggling about nonsense and thinking about how cute he was

He remembers being 19 and down in the dumps and Vaughn giving an inspiring speech how Rhys was gonna make it through college and they were gonna make it up the corporate ladder because they are the best and nothing is gonna stand in their way

Remembers being 25 and getting a Hyperion arm to replace the prosthetic he had most of his life, Vaughn risking his hand for Rhys to grab it and test out his grip ("Too tight" Vaughn had said through gritted teeth. "Sorry" Rhys had said sheepishly while loosening his grip)

And very recently, remembers being 28, reuniting with Vaughn and seeing his kind face and realising

Realising-

_'Oh crap, I'm in love'_

Rhys rubs a hand over the back of his neck “a while"

"Care to be more specific? Cause I will be"

"Wha-"

"It was practically the moment I met you, I mean we were just kids but I felt, something. And it just kinda grew and grew until I realised when I was like. Um, well I realised the crush when I was like 17 but the." Vaughn pauses 

"Vaughn...are you saying...?"

"Just shh a second okay? Let me finish this or I never will. So I had this big crush but I didn't wanna risk our friendship by telling you so I didn't...but man, there were so many times in like the last year or so that I thought we were gonna die or that you were dead and I kept thinking I'll never get to tell him about the crush part never mind the L-love part. That."

"You..."

"I love you Rhys" Vaughn's' face now set in determination

"Oh" Rhys feels like the air has been knocked out of his chest 

"Yeah....I realise that's heavier than a 'crush' anndddd I've probably creeped you out, I mean friends get like little crushes on each other all the time they just, they don't-"

"I'm in love with you" Rhys blurts out because again, no filter.  
Also no build up, man he sucks.

Vaughn stares at him for the longest time, then smiles. Not a small smile but a big one that reaches his eyes.

"I didn't think you could ever...see me like that"

Rhys moves his hand from Vaughn's shoulder trailing it down his arm then grabbing his hand 

"Yeah, well, _I do._ I'm sorry I can't be more specific but I've been into you for like _years,_ dude"

Vaughn brings his free hand to Rhys' collar, tugs a little so Rhys cranes his head down

"Can I?" Slides his hand up over Rhys' cheek, his thumb just touching his lips to make his intentions clear

"Hell yeah" Rhys mumbles

Vaughn moves his hand from Rhys', despite his pouting, bringing it to his shoulder to brace himself, Rhys gets with the program and wraps his other arm around Vaughan's waist to help bring him up to meet Rhys' lips 

Rhys has kissed a few people in his life but he's pretty sure this is the best one, less about the technique however and more about how much and how _long_ he's wanted to kiss Vaughn

It feels like a relief, like an itch you can’t reach going away or when you wake up & have a drink when your mouth had felt like a desert or-

Yeah, he's not the greatest at metaphors

Vaughn pulls away slowly but Rhys still takes a moment longer to open his eyes 

When he does, Vaughn can't help but laugh a little at his dazed expression 

"What? What is it? Was it _that_ bad?" 

"No, god no that was...amazing but it's just, you look so out of it Bro!" 

"Bro? Really?" Rhys raises an eyebrow 

"Would you rather I call you? sweetheart? babe? cupcake?" Vaughn laughs some more until he sees Rhys' stricken expression

"Are you okay?" He asks, voice full of concern 

Rhys shakes his head "Uh yeah, I'm fine it's just...um"

"Just um?" 

"It's silly, it's just when Jack was in my head he used to...call me pet names. To be? I don't know, condescending, charming, manipulative? All of the above?"

"Oh shit, I didn't even think about that I'm so-"

"Hey hey hey, you couldn't have known okay? It's not your fault"

"Well...is there anything I could call you?"

"Love of your life?"

Vaughn gently hits Rhys’ prosthetic arm

"Ow!" Rhys tries his best to look betrayed 

"I specifically made sure that didn't hurt,” Vaughn rolls his eyes, “can that arm even feel hurt?" 

"It's the sentiment behind it that hurt" Rhys pouts 

"Alright, sure, want me to kiss it better?"

"Absolutely" 

Vaughn snorts, but does in fact kiss his arm. It's cold as fuck.

"Cold as fuck" Vaughn complains, but Rhys is too pleased as he feels tingles run into his system. His prosthetic can't quite 'feel' in the organic sense but it senses touch that in turn send signals in the form of pleasant buzzes, almost like getting an electrical shot. Only not, because it felt _good_

"Can you even feel that?" Vaughn asks as he pulls away and tilts his head slightly to the side 

"Mmm, sortaaaa. You know what I absolutely can 100% feel though?"

"Maybe not tonight" Vaughn flushes 

Rhys' eyes widen  
"I did not mean that, I mean I definitely want to sometime if you want to, but I just meant you could, uh that is I would like if you...kissed me again?" 

Rhys suddenly looks very nervous & fondness blooms in Vaughn's chest.

"Of course” he leans up again and kisses Rhys, a little firmer and this time Rhys brings both arms around Vaughn's waist

"Cold" Vaughn mumbles against his lips, but he presses back a little against Rhys robotic fingers, and Rhys remembers oh yeah, Vaughn is mostly shirtless these days, and runs both hands up Vaughn's bare skin. He presses him closer 

Vaughn's beard feels all kinds of interesting moving against him, slightly scratchy but strangely satisfying against his own mostly smooth face  
"Can I...try something” Vaughn gets out, pulling away for a moment 

"Sure" Rhys' neck is starting to ache & he's both glad and peeved at the reprieve 

"I'm going to uh, pick you up"

"Oh. Okay?" He feels a flip of excitement in his stomach 

"Yeah" 

And with that he scoops up Rhys into his arms ( _like ice cream_ , Rhys' brain suggests and then has the embarrassing thought of _'Vaughn, oh fuck, please eat me'_ )

There's a makeshift table that's somewhat low to the ground, Vaughn carries him over & sits him on it, Rhys parts his legs & Vaughn stands in-between them, so now Vaughan's face comes a little bit above his own

Rhys grins up at him mischievously, then tugs Vaughn down on top of him as he lays back

"This wasn't the plan" Vaughn tutts, then goes right back to kissing the life out of Rhys 

Rhys' hands grip tightly onto Vaughn's' shoulders, Vaughn's' hands are each at the side of Rhys' head supporting Vaughn's own weight

"You are like, Ha, really really strong" Rhys gasps out as Vaughn moves his lips down his neck 

Vaughn pauses and looks up at him, his gaze is so warm that Rhys flushes redder than he thought possible at this point 

"That could prove to be super fun" Rhys says, sounding more confident than he feels

"Oh, it will be" and Vaughn _winks_ which is so not fair because that's Rhys' thing and he can't really deal with this

He turns his head to the side trying to merge his face with the table, whining as he does

"Wow, I never realised it was _this_ easy to get you hot and bothered"

"Only for you pal, you're hot and I'm bothered. By that. The fact that you're hot, it's really...frustrating"

"Such a way with words"

"Shut upppp, why should I use words anyway when there are much better things I could be doing with my mouth"  
Rhys wiggles his eyebrows.

Vaughn splutters "God, you are _such_ a dork"

"Mhmm" 

Rhys has a hand curled around the back of Vaughn's head to bring his face closer, presses kisses to his cheek, nose, ear, whatever he can get a hold of, "But I'm _your_ dork"

"Yeah," Vaughn pushes his face into Rhys' neck, exhaling softly 

"And I'm yours"

**Author's Note:**

> my first fic that's over 1k holy shit, *blows a kiss to the sky* for gayperion
> 
> I played tftbl for the first time like a week or so ago & lemme tell you: I am in deep rip me
> 
> title from sam smith's song of the same name
> 
> I'm on tumblr @finnwpoe & twitter @AutisticCas


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